Safe cabinet locking device



y 1959 R. -L.. STEGMAIER SAFE CABINET LOCKING DEVICE Filed 'April 20; 1956 2,886,392 SAFE CABINET LOCKING DEVICE Raymond L. Stegmaier, Arlington, Va. Application April 20, 1956, Serial No. 579,698

Claims. (Cl. 312-217) (Granted-under Title 35, US. Code (1952), see. 266) The invention described herein may be manufactured United States Patent 0 ice and used by or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalties thereon.

The present invention relates to the locking of drawers for sliding units of safes, filing cabinets or the like.

An object of the invention ing mechanism for safes, filing cabinets or the like Where all units are controlled by a common movable portion under the control of a primary locking means which movable portion requires a distinct and separate movement for the locking and unlocking of said units.

Other objects of the invention will appear more fully from the description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein,

Fig. l is a perspective view partly broken away showing the inside of a filing cabinet fitted with the improved locking mechanism thereof.

Fig. 2 is a detailed view of the locking mechanism associated with the top drawer of Fig. 1 showing the normal or locked position of the respective parts.

Fig. 3 is a detailed view of the locking mechanism associated with the middle drawer of Fig. 1, showing the normal position of the mechanism with the catch stud of the respective drawer abutting the same.

"Fig. 4 is a detailed view of the locking mechanism associated with the lower drawer of Fig. 1 showing the normal position of the mechanism with the respective drawer extended for use.

The embodiment of the invention is particularly adapted to provide special utility in connection with drawers or sliding units of a filing cabinet. It contemplates a simple and thoroughly practicable means which is primarily intended to be associated with a plurality of drawers or sliding units arranged in a tier or stack, and which provides secure and reliable means for looking all drawers or sliding units in the closed positions and preventing the opening of any or all of the same except by the use of a proper movable portion. Furthermore, the locking mechanism is of such character as to admit of the greatest possible freedom in the use of the individual drawer or sliding units, that is, certain drawers or sliding units may be in use while the remaining ones are held securely -"Referring to Fig. 1, there is shown a filing cabinet comprising a casing 11 with and a pluralityof sliding units 12. The top drawer is equipped with a combination dial means 14.-

- 18 is within and fixed upon the frame part of casing 11.

Thelatch dog 17 isprovided at one'arm with an inclined slot 17a and at the other with a beveled ofiset 17b having a shouldered latching indent 17c which in'the normal (2' is to provide a positive lock- 2,886,392 Patented May 12, 1959 position of parts rests on the flanged side'margin 21 of supporting bracket 18. A control rod 16 extends upright and is common to all of the sliding units 12. The control rod 16 is provided with a plurality of actuating pins 19, one for each contained sliding unit 12. The actuating pin 19 is adapted to engage and remain seated in the inclined slot 17a of latch dog 17.

The inclined slot 17a in the tail of the latch dog 17 is the median in the translation of the vertical reciprocal movement of the control rod 16 into the arc of travel of the head 17b of latch dog 17. This concept is more readily understod when said slot is taken as the approximate hypotenuse of a right triangle. The length of the hypotenuse (slot) is determined by the vertical distance through which the control rod 16 is to move in the operation of the locking mechanism 13. The length of the vertical adjacent side of said right triangle defines the arc of travel of the head of the latch dog 17v from the locked to the unlocked position. The angle between the hypotenuse and the vertical adjacent side is determined to translate the vertical movement of the control rod 16 into the arc of travel of head 17 b of the latch dog 17.

When the head 17 b of the latch dog 17 has been raised I from its normal position by dropping the control rod 16,

the catch stud 15 (Figs. 2 and 3) projecting from the side of each sliding unit 12 passes beneath said raised latch dog 17 as the unit is moved inwardly to the closed position. Upon moving the control rod 16 to the top position, the head 17b of the latch dog 17 is returned to the normal or locked position and the catch stud 15 of the respective sliding unit 12 is retained (Fig. 2). It is seen by reference to the drawing (Fig. 3), that when an open sliding unit 12 is moved inwardly after the head 17b of the latch dog is in the normal position, the projecting stud 15 will abut against the latch dog, thereby preventing the closure of the sliding unit.

The feature of the locking mechanism assembly 13 which permits freedom in the use of the individually opened sliding unit 12, while holding the remaining sliding units 12 securely locked, has special application in the safe keeping of confidential documents and similar matter. Unauthorized personnel having unnoticed access to a filing cabinet while in use could only see information stored in the opened sliding unit and would be unable to avail themselves of the information stored in the remaining closed units. Further, the use of said filing cabinet by authorized personnel would insure that proper security measures to be taken by the same in that an attempted closure of an open unit 12 when the latch dog 17 is in the normal position, would be prevented.

The movement of the common control rod 16 is adapted to be operated by a movable portion, here the upper sliding unit 12, which in turn is under the control of a primary locking means, here shown to be a combination dial securing means 14 (Fig. l) This primary locking means 14 is therefore common to the other sliding units 12 in the cabinet and controls the locking and unlocking thereof. The primary locking means 14 can be supported in the front of any sliding unit 12 or at a fixed position at a convenient point within the casing 11, e.g., the upper right hand corner of the casing.

In the normal. position with all the sliding units 12 ,of ,the cabinet closed, the control rod 16 is held in an up position by the upper sliding unit 12. This position of the control rod 16 operates to lock and hold the latch dog 17 in the normal position, i.e., the beveled ofiset having the shouldered latching indent rests on the flanged side margin of the supporting bracket 18 and is held in that position. This position of the latch dog 17 serves to restrain the withdrawal of the respective sliding unit 12 from the closed position as projecting catch stud 15 (Fig.2) will abut against and not pass under thel'atch dog head. When it is desired to unlock the sliding units,

the moveable portion, upper sliding unit 12, is pulled forward thus releasing the control rod 16 for positive automatic movement by conventional means to the lowest position .of vertical travel. This in turn raises the ,heads of the latch dog 17 due to the coaction of the actuating pin 19 and the contour of the inclined slot. The sliding units .are then unlocked. Should any or all thesliding units 12 be left in the open position after the top unit 12 .is closed which movement would return the latch dogs 17 to the normal position of the locking mechanism 13, the remaining sliding units 12 could neither assume the closed position nor could they be locked (Fig. 3). To close and lock the remaining sliding units 12, it would be necessary to withdraw the movable unit 12, thus raising the heads of the latch dogs 17, complete the closure of the sliding units 12 and finally return :the top unit 12 to back to the closed position.

It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing disclosure relates to only a preferred embodiment of the :invention and that it is intended to cover all changes and modification of the example of the invention herein chosen for the purpose of the disclosure, which do not constitute departures from the spirit and scope of the invention set forth in theappended claims.

What is claimed and desired to be protected by letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a locking mechanism for slidable members comprising; a supporting bracket with a flanged side and bottom margin and a recess in the upper margin; a latch dog pivotally mounted on said bracket having a plurality of arms with the axis of one arm in coincidence with the horizontal direction, when said latch dog is in the normal or locked position and the axis of the other arm in an obtuse relationship thereto, intersecting at the point of thepivotal mounting, said obtuse arm having an elongated slot centered therein, and situated to always be in registry with the recess in the upper margin of the supporting bracket, said horizontal arm having a bevelled offset at an angle thereto extending below the .lower margin and from the end thereof, part way to the pivotal mounting with a shouldered latching indent situated on the lower edge thereof half the length of thebevelled oifset from the end of said horizontal arm which is adapted to rest on the flanged side margin of the bracket; a control rod vertically disposed mounted for reciprocal movement along the longitudinal axis of said control rod;,an actuating pin of cylindrical shape fixed perpendicularly onsaid control rod and of suflicient length to be seated and retained in the elongated slot of the latch dog; a means for actuating the vertically disposed control rod reciprocally along the longitudinal axis, whereby, in combination with the actuating pin and the elongated slot of the latch dog, the locking mechanism is raised from the normal or locked position to the unlocked position; and, ,a catch stud fixed on one side .of the slidable member and projecting therefrom adapted tobe engaged'by the locking mechanism on the inward travel of said slidable member and to beretained by the normal position of the latch dog when the catch stud is at the end of inward travel.

2. Ina locking mechanism for slidable memberscomprising; a supporting bracket with flanged side and bottom margins; a latch dog pivotally mounted on ,said .bracket having a plurality of arms with the axis of one arm in coincidence with the horizontalvdirection, when said latch dog is in the normal or locked position, and the axis of the other arm in an obtuse relationship thereto,.said obtuse arm having an inclined slot centered there- .in and said horizontal arm having a bevelled offsetat ananglethereto, extendingbelow the lower margin and from the end thereof part way.to the pivotal mount- .ing, .with a latching indent therein,-adapted to rest on the flanged side margin of the bracket; a control rod vertically disposed ,mounted for reciprocal movement along the longitudinal axis of the rod; an actuating pin fixed perpendicularly on said control rod and retained in the elongated slot of the latch dog; means for actuating the control rod reciprocally, whereby, in combination with the actuating pin and inclined slot of the latch dog, the mechanism is raised from the locked position to the unlocked position; and, .a catch stud projecting from the side of a slidable member adapted to engage the locking mechanism on the inward travel of that member and to be retained by the latch dog when in the normal position at the extreme inward position.

3. In a locking mechanism for slidable members comprising; a supporting bracket with a side margin at an angle thereto; a latch dog pivotally mounted on said bracket having a plurality of arms with the axis of.-one arm in coincidence with the horizontal direction, when said latch dog is in the normal or locked position, and the axis of the other arm in an obtuse relationship thereto, said obtuse arm having an elongated slot centered therein and said horizontal arm having an offset at an angle thereto, extending below the lower margin thereof, with a shouldered latching indent therein, adapted to rest on the side margin of said supporting bracket; a con trol rod vertically disposed mounted for longitudinal reciprocal movement; an actuating pin fixed onsaid control rod end extending perpendicular therefrom, seated in to engage the locking mechanism on the inward-travel of saidsslidable member and to be retained by the'locking mechanism when in the normal or locked position. 4. In a locking mechanism for a plurality of tiered slid .ing members of filing cabinets or the like comprising in combination; a casing containing a plurality of tiered members; a fixed upright extending thelength of the contained members within and a part of said casing;a plurality of locking mechanisms mounted on said fixed uprightconsisting of a supporting bracket with a flanged side and bottom margin and a recess inthe upper margin, a latch dog pivotally mounted on said brackethaving a plurality of arms with the axis of one arm in coincidence with the horizontal direction, when said latch dog is in the normal or locked position, and the axis of the other arm'in an obtuse relationship thereto intersecting at-the point of the pivotal mounting, said obtuse arm having an elongated slot centered therein, and situated to-always be in registry with the recess in the upper margin of the supporting bracket, said horizontal arm having a bevelled ofiset at an angle thereto, extending below the margin and from the end thereof, part way to the pivotal mounting with a shouldered latching indent situated on the lower edge thereof, half the length of the bevelled oflset'from the end of said horizontal arm which is to rest on the flanged side margin of the bracket; acontrol rodfvertically disposed and common to all members mounted for reciprocal movement along the longitudinal axis of the nod; a plurality of actuating pins of cylindricalshape, individual to each locking mechanism fixed perpendicularly on the common control rod and of suflicient lengthto be seated and retained in the elongated slot of the latch dog; means controlled by a combination dial securing .means for actuating'the control rod reciprocally,.whereby, in combination with the plurality of actuating-pins and the plurality of elongated slots of the respective latch dogs, the plurality of locking mechanisms are .raised from, the normal or locked position to the unlocked p osi- 'spectivenormally positioned-latch dog when said catch study is at the. end of inward travel.

-5. .-In a locking mechanism 'for ,.a plurality of sliding members \of filing cabinets or the like comprising in combination; a casing containing the plurality of slidable members; a fixed support common to the members; a plurality of locking mechanisms attached to the fixed upright consisting of a supporting bracket with a side margin at an angle thereto, a latch dog pivotally mounted on said bracket having a plurality of arms with the axis of tone arm in coincidence with the horizontal direction, when said latch dog is in the normal or locked position, and the axis of the other arm in an obtuse relationship thereto, said obtuse arm having an elongated slot centered therein, and said horizontal arm having an offset at an angle thereto, extending below the lower margin thereof, with a shouldered latching indent therein, adapted to rest on the side margin of the bracket; 2. control rod vertically disposed and common to all members mounted for longitudinal reciprocal movement; a plurality of actuating pins fixed on the control rod individual to each locking mechanism and seated in the inclined slot of the latch dog; means controlled by a primary locking means for moving the control rod reciprocally, thereby, raising the plurality of latch dogs fnom the normal position; and, a plurality of catch studs one each for a slidable member adapted to engage the respective locking mechanism on the inward travel and to be retained by the mechanism when in the normal position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,006,983 Schafiert Oct. 24, 1911 1,099,522 Tedeschi June 9, 1914- 2,653,070 McClellan Sept. 22, 1953 

